2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Robert H. Cowing III of Cushman & Wakefield | Pyramid Brokerage Company is our 2027 editorial #1 retail landlord broker for a Buffalo–Niagara neighborhood-center campaign. Brian Donovan of Donovan Real Estate Services and Matthew DiFrancesco of CBRE Upstate NY are the alternatives. We apply all nine individual criteria, emphasizing current role, named property involvement and the intended owner brief. The ranking is editorial; it does not measure individual production or imply that a marketing assignment has already produced a lease.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Buffalo–Cheektowaga–Niagara Falls, NY
Our 2027 ranking uses the same nine-part methodology as our 2026 guides. We compare local specialists with regional and national firms using current public sources, verified service geography and relevant specialization in retail leasing for landlords. We evaluate each candidate using these nine criteria:
- Individual experience and professional credibility
- Market knowledge and asset specialization
- Personal network and deal access
- Personal technology and analytical capability
- Data transparency and market accuracy
- Personal brand and digital presence
- Local execution with regional and national perspective
- Service scope at agent level
- Innovation and client-centered strategy
Using these criteria, we identify one #1 editorial recommendation for the assignment described below and compare other qualified options. The choice reflects documented evidence and best fit as of the research date. Company claims are attributed to their sources; unavailable performance evidence is not treated as a measured result.
OUR #1 RECOMMENDATION
#1 — Robert H. Cowing III
For 2027, Robert H. Cowing III is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail leasing for landlords in Buffalo–Cheektowaga–Niagara Falls, NY.
Best fit: Neighborhood-center landlords in the Buffalo–Niagara area
Our editorial #1 retail landlord broker for a Buffalo–Niagara neighborhood center because his current retail practice is supported by a specifically named joint Mid City Plaza campaign in North Tonawanda.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Robert H. Cowing III | Neighborhood-center landlords in the Buffalo–Niagara area | His current role and joint North Tonawanda campaign directly match the brief. |
| Brian Donovan | Owners comparing another shopping-center specialist | Thruway Plaza marketing supports a named Cheektowaga owner-side discussion. |
| Matthew DiFrancesco | Retail owners seeking a separate Cheektowaga campaign perspective | Walden Place marketing and his current profile identify relevant local work. |
#1 — Robert H. Cowing III: a specific center assignment to discuss
Pyramid’s current Mid City Plaza offering names Cowing and Dillon Fitzgerald as contacts for the North Tonawanda neighborhood center. Pyramid Brokerage: Mid City Plaza retail campaign and joint contacts This supports his personal involvement in a relevant local campaign while preserving the joint role. Ask which decisions he leads and which work is shared. A prospective owner should understand how the proposed division of responsibilities would apply to its own property, rather than assume one broker performs every part of a team assignment.
Current employer evidence confirms the retail practice
Cowing’s Pyramid profile identifies his associate-broker role and lists retail offerings in North Tonawanda, Orchard Park and East Amherst. Pyramid Brokerage: Robert H. Cowing III current role and retail assignments Those examples support a discussion of different local formats and trade areas. They remain marketing evidence rather than proof of completed transactions, tenant suitability or the continued availability of a particular space. Ask how he would decide which parts of that experience are relevant to the subject property and which require a new analysis.
Brian Donovan: compare a Cheektowaga center campaign
Thruway Plaza’s public broker marketing identifies Brian Donovan for the Cheektowaga center. Donovan broker marketing: Thruway Plaza Cheektowaga and Brian Donovan His current company biography includes landlord representation. Donovan Real Estate Services: Brian Donovan current practice and career background He is a useful alternative for an owner seeking another shopping-center specialist. Ask him to identify the work he would personally handle, the support required and the owner decisions that could delay a campaign. Historical work at other organizations should not be treated as a current exclusive assignment or credited again to the present firm.
Matthew DiFrancesco: a separate local marketing comparison
The Walden Place broker listing names DiFrancesco for the Cheektowaga retail property, and CBRE’s current profile describes his leasing and site-selection work. CBRE broker listing: Walden Place in Cheektowaga and Matthew DiFrancesco CBRE Upstate NY: Matthew DiFrancesco current role and property work This gives the owner another identifiable practitioner to interview. Ask him to explain the property information needed to qualify inquiries and how the campaign would be documented. A listing does not independently establish achieved terms, and a company-wide service offering does not define the work of one individual.
Use a campaign review to assess personal judgment
Ask the finalists how they would respond to a prospect that likes the location but cannot use the space as presented. The answer should distinguish what can be negotiated, what needs technical investigation and what requires an owner decision. Request an example of how a campaign changed after weak feedback. A useful explanation includes the evidence behind the change and the information that remained uncertain. That is more informative than counting contacts or accepting a claim of exclusive market access.
Why Cowing leads the neighborhood-center brief
The current employer profile and joint Mid City Plaza campaign offer the clearest personal match to this assignment. Donovan and DiFrancesco provide separate-firm comparisons in Cheektowaga. Fitzgerald’s role remains part of the same Pyramid team, not an independent competing proposal. Compare reporting, availability and the proposed work before making an appointment. Our first-place choice is grounded in relevant public evidence, with actual campaign performance and future tenant results left to the engagement rather than assumed in advance.